Printer system

ABSTRACT

A copier/duplicating system producing finished sets of copies from documents fed and copied in repeated cycles including a stapling assembly for collecting and stapling copy sheets into booklets and a side stacking assembly for grouping sheets into separately identifiable stacks. A control logic enables either stapling the sheets or side stacking the sheets at the option of a machine operator.

United States Patent lll Turner et al. 1 1 Jan. 9, 1973 54 PRINTER SYSTEM 3,091,169 5/1963 Taini et al. ..355 109 [75] Inventors: Lyman B. Turner, Pittsford; Wil- 32:15 2 ham Kukuckfi Henr'etta; James 3,536,318 10/1970 Gay etal. ..270/53 x Summers, Fa1rp0rt,all0fN-Y- 3,556,512 1/1911 Fackler ..271/4 [73] Assignee: Xerox Corporation, Stamford,

Conn Primary Exammer--John M. Horan Assistant Examiner-Alan A. Mathews Filed: p 9, 1970 Attorney-James J. Ralabate, Norman E. Schrader [211 App. No: 70,863 and Melvm A. Klein [57] ABSTRACT [5 2] US. Cl. "gig/11343, 325257//l48d 325756/9573, A copier duplicating System producing finished Sets of [51] Int Cl 5 15/00 copies from documents fed and copied in repeated cy- [58] Fie'ld 97 102 cles including a stapling assembly for collecting and 355/109 227/3 95/l stapling copy sheets into booklets and a side stacking assembly for grouping sheets into separately identifiable stacks. A control logic enables either stapling the [56] References cued sheets or side stacking the sheets at the option of 21 UNITED STATES PATENTS machine Operator- 3,603,680 9/1971 Barton ..355/l6 5 Claims, 28 Drawing Figures mmmm 9197s 3.709.595

I SHEET UlUF 18 INVENTORS. v LYMAN H. TURNER WILLIAM P. KUKUCKA BY JAMES E. SUMMERS W IM ATTORNEY PATENTEDJAN 9197a SHEET [JZUF 18 FINISHER SIDE STACK NIIHWI :HAO'

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PATENTEB JAN 9 I973 SHEET 03 0F 18 FIG; 2

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PATENTEDJAN 9|975 3,709,595

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PATENTEDJAH 91% 3,709,595 SHEET OBUF 18 PATENTEUJAN 9197a SHEET C8UF18 FIG. 7b

PATENTEDJAN 9 I973 SHEET lUUF 18 WNW PATENTEDJAN 9 I975 SHEET llUF 18 PATENTEDJAN 9197s SHEET 12UF 18 WNW mum

PATENTEDJAN 91975 3,709,595

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sum lSUF 18 PATENTEDJAM Si n SHEET lBUF 18 wmwtnm SE: mmx v \mk GK NEE m m g Q63 6528 m3 Q 096 PRINTER SYSTEM This invention relates to apparatus for automatically stacking and/or stapling sheets into booklets.

As is well known in the art of bookmaking, it is generally necessary to first print or copy sheets and then gather groups of different sheets in a definite order referred to as collating. The operation of printing and then assembling sheets into booklets usually requires several steps, the last of which is taking one sheet from each of the printed stacks and putting these sheets together in the order desired.

Normally the assembling of the sheetsinto booklets by hand is slow and cumbersome. Also, the number of people necessary is considerable and the likelihood of making a mistake great.

Present devices for mechanically assembling sheets into booklet form have the disadvantage of being prolix and costly and have not been entirely satisfactory.

The present invention enables automatic assembling of sheet material into separate identifiable stacks or booklets which may be fastened into a finished form. To accomplish this, a finishing apparatus accepts copy sheets from a processor and either staples them into booklets, or stacks them in separated bundles at the option of a machine operator.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the printing of booklets.

It is another object of the present invention to assemble copy sheets from a processor into stapled packs in a manner more simple and cheaper than heretofore.

It is another object of the present invention to collect copy sheets from a processor into separate identifiable stacks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for producing sets of collated copies from precollated document material to be reproduced.

It is another object of the present invention to provide method and apparatus for stacking and/or stapling sheet material in a manner more expeditious than heretofore.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a finishing apparatus which is simple and compact in design.

These objects as well as others will become more apparent upon considering the following description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa copying machine incorporating a finishing apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. I (a) is a view of the machine control panel section for the finishing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the exterior of the finishing apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the finishing apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an end sectional view of the finishing apparatus;

FIGS. 4 (a)(c) are end sectional views illustrating the various positions for the cover of the finishing apparatus;

' FIG. 5 is a plan view of the finishing apparatus with parts in section to illustrate certain details thereof;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the sheet receiving tray assembly;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a paddle wheel;

FIGS. 7(a)-(c) illustrate in sequence the action of a rotating paddle wheel on moving sheet material;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are side and end views, respectively, of the staple head assembly;

FIGS. 10, ll, 12 and 13 are sectional views illustrating sequentially the details of operation of the stapling head assembly; I

FIGS. 14 and 15 are sectional views illustrating details of the feed of the staple roll;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic showing of the staple drive circuit;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the side stacking assembly;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the output receiving tray assembly illustrating details of the elevation control thereof; and

FIGS. 19, 20 and 21 are diagrams of the control circuits of the finishing apparatus.

GENERAL For a general understanding of reproduction apparatus with which the present invention may be incorporated, reference is made to FIG. 1 wherein various components of a typical electrostatic printer system are illustrated. The printer system is of the xerographic type and is generally designated with the reference numeral 10. As in all xerographic. systems, a light image of an original to be reproduced is projected onto the sensitized surface of a xerographic plate to form an electrostatic latent image. Thereafter, the latent image is developed with toner material to form a xerographic powder image corresponding to the latent image on the plate surface. The powder image is then electrostatically transferred to a record material such as a sheet or' web of paper or the like to which it may be fused by a fusing device whereby the powder image is caused permanently to adhere to the surface of the record material.

The xerographic processor indicated by reference numeral 11 is arranged as a self-contained unit having all of its processing stations located in a unitary enclosure or cabinet. The printer system includes an exposure station at which a light radiation pattern of a document to be reproduced is positioned on a glass platen 12 for projection onto a photoconductive surface in the form of a xerographic belt 13. The document is transported by a recirculating document feed apparatus 15 from the bottom of a stack 17 on a supply tray 19 to the platen for exposure and then returnedto the top of the supply tray on completion of the exposure until the entire stack has been copied at which time the cycle may be repeated as described in copending U.S'. application Ser. No. 781,287, filed on Dec. 4, I968, entitled Document Feed Apparatus and commonly assigned with the present invention.

Imaging light rays from the document as flash illuminated by lamps 18 are projected by a first mirror 20 and a projection lens 21 and another mirror 23 onto the belt 12 at the focal plane for the lens 21 at a position indicated by the dotted line 25.

As an interfere structure and for unobstructive optical projections, the sideof the cabinet is formed with an enlarged rectangular opening to permit the projection of image light rays from the lens 21 to the mirror 23. Similarly, the cabinet supporting the document plane is formed with a corresponding rectangular opening that mates. with'the opening in the printer cabinet the 

1. In a copier/duplicator system in which documents are advanced from a supply source to a platen for copying thereof and then returned to the supply source in repeated cycles, improved apparatus for producing collated sets of copies comprising collection means to assemble and register copy sheets transported along a predetermined path, means to staple said sheets to form a set upon a receipt of discrete signals, tray means located downstream of said collection means to receive each stapled copy set advanced from said collection means, side stacking means associated with said tray means operative to move sheets transported along a predetermined path iNto offset identifiable stacks upon receiving discrete signals, and logic means to actuate the collection means and staple means, and, alternatively, said side stacking means depending on whether stapling or offset stacking of sheets is desired.
 2. An improved high speed automatic system of printing booklets from percollated documents comprising means for feeding documents in seriatim toward an exposure station of a copying machine for copying thereof and then returning the documents in precollated order to their original position, means for electrostatically copying each document onto a set of copy sheets in timed order, means for advancing the copy sheets toward a finishing station for stacking in a collated set in corner registration, means for stapling the set of copy sheets into a bundle corresponding to the documents being copied, and means for ejecting each bundle into a collection zone, and control logic means for supplying signals to the aforementioned means in timed order until the desired number of booklets is produced.
 3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said means for electrostatically copying the documents includes illumination means for forming a latent electrostatic image on a moving photoreceptor by flash exposure thereof, means for developing the image, and means for transferring the developed image onto paper moved in timed relation with the moving photoreceptor.
 4. An improved high speed automatic system of producing separately identifiable stacks of collated copies from precollated documents comprising means for feeding the documents in seriatim toward an exposure station of a copying machine for copying thereof before returning them to their original position in precollated order, means for electrostatically copying the documents onto copy sheets and advancing the copy sheets toward a finishing station in order, means positioned at the finishing station for side stacking the copy sheets first to one side and then the other to form offset identifiable bundles, each bundle being collated in order corresponding to the documents being copied, and control means for continuously repeating the aforementioned steps in timed order until the desired number of collated offset stacks is produced.
 5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said means for electrostatically copying the documents includes illumination means for forming a latent electrostatic image on a moving photoreceptor by flash exposure thereof, means for developing the image, and means for transferring the developed image onto paper moved in timed relation with the moving photoreceptor. 